Jay,
There are a ton of great restaurants. Lots of outdoor stuff and free things to see. As a marathon runner, I usually don't like to do much sightseeing the day before a race (I'm a sub-3 hour runner and take it way too seriously!).
Old Town, Alexandria is great. Cobblestone streets, riverfront, restaurants, etc.
The previously mentioned museums: the free Smithsonian's, Spy Museum, Newseum, etc.
October is nice around here, great fall weather (it can be really cold or just mild, you never know).
Definitely visit Arlington Cemetery (if you have any national pride).
The National Mall is cool, plus all of the monuments are there (or around it).
Georgetown is a great place to walk around (and shop - for the wife).
Tyson's Corner (which is a ways out, but is now Metro accessible) is a really good mall (the best in the area).
Mt. Vernon (George Washington's home) is cool, but it's $25 or more/each for entrance).
You can catch a river cruise in Old Town or Georgetown.
There's a few casino's nearby (one on the way to Baltimore and one in Baltimore)....also one about 70 miles away in WV.
National Harbor (on the Maryland side) is cool (plus it has shopping).
You can do a Pentagon or White House tour if you schedule it far enough in advance. You can also tour the Capital Building.
If the weather is nicer you can rent kayak's in Georgetown.
You could drive out to Great Falls (on the Potomac River), really cool area/park.
Lots of local dining options. Most are pricey. Be ready to pay $7-10 for a beer (a few places have American drafts in the $5-6 range).
hno:
